Tuesday, January 22, 2008

FLQ Lawyer - Robert Lemieux Dies

Love him or hate him, Robert Lenuieux has his place in Canadian history as the lawyer for the Front de libération du Québec - FLQ.

"Robert Lemieux, the radical Montreal lawyer who made his reputation defending FLQ terrorists in the 1960s and '70s, was found dead at his house in Sept Îles Monday. He was 66. Lemieux was a handsome, highly emotional, volatile showman who was himself jailed for four months during the 1970 FLQ crisis under the War Measures Act on charges of seditious conspiracy.

During his career as a lawyer for the Front de libération du Québec, he defended more than 30 terrorists, and represented the members of the so-called Chénier cell, who kidnapped Quebec cabinet minister Pierre Laporte, who was strangled.

Lemieux was the eldest of six children in a Radio-Canada technician's family. He was educated at Collège Mont St. Louis, and in 1965 obtained his law degree from McGill University, where he was influenced by civil libertarian Frank Scott."ALAN HUSTAK The Montreal Gazette

Thanks huff ... I found that out today and it is sad for those who knew or met Pam. I found her a real 'live wire' filled with energy. She was fairly young to die at 54. She was well respected by all sides in Alberta politics.

I GREW UP WITH ROBERT LEMIEUX .WE WERE NEIGHBOURS AND CLOSE FRIENDS FROM THE AGE OF SEVEN ...UNTIL OUR FAMILY MOVED AWAY FROM NDG WHEN I WAS 14 AND ROBERT WAS TWELVE . HE WAS A GREAT KID ...UNSELFISH AND A REAL GENEROSITY OF PERSON .

HIS FATHER WAS A TECHNICIAN WITH CBC . I REMEMBER BEING INVITED BY ROBERT AND HIS FAMILY TO THE MONTREAL ROYAL'S VS THE QUEBEC ACES ,SUNDAY HOCKEY GAMES ...WHEN JACQUES PLANTE WOULD WEAR A TOUQUE ...THE QUEBEC ACES HAS THE UNIQUE JEAN BELIVEAU WHO WAS EMERGING AS AN SKILLED ALL-STAR . WE SCAMPERED ON THE CAT WALK OF THE ORIGINAL MONTREAL FORUM . ( BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE ! )

OUR FAMILY MOVED AWAY YET MY SENSES OF ROBERT WAS THAT HE WAS A DISCIPLINED YOUNGSTER ...ENTRUSTED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF HIS YOUNGER SIBLINGS . THERE WAS NEVER ANY ANIMOSITY FROM ANY KIDS WITHIN OUR GROUP OF FRIENDS ...EVER ! (CATHOLIC -PROTESTANT- JEWISH )

I REALLY FELT FOR ROBERT WHILE HE WAS IN THE 'LIMELIGHT' KNOWING HE WAS BATTLING A CAUSE THAT... INASMUCH I PERSONALLY COULD SEE NO DEFINITIVE MERIT ...ROBERT WAS PREPARED TO STAKE HIS FUTURE IN A SCENARIO THAT WOULD TAX THE FABRIC AND FIBRE OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY ...BEYOND MEASURE .

SURELY THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED WERE REGRETTABLE . THE BLATANT ARROGANCE OF 'BROTHER AGAINST BROTHER' NEVER SUCCEEDS AND OH SO COUNTER PRODUCTIVE !SADLY ... VICIOUS THOUGHTS PERMEATED THE AIR UNECESSARILY AND BLINDLY FOR YEARS TO FOLLOW.IT'S ONE THING TO HAVE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION !

I PERSONALLY REGRET NOT CONNECTING WITH ROBERT LEMIEUX IN MORE REC ENT YEARS . ( YES, I TRIED... )

I HAVE... BUT GOOD THOUGHTS OF ROBERT LEMIEUX ...MAY HE REST IN PEACE ..ADIEU MON AMI ..